Piano action and materials for making the same



P. J. ROEHRIG 3,106,861

PIANO ACTION AND MATERIALS FOR MAKING THE SAME Oct. 15, 1963 Filed" s t. '14, 1960 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent 3,106,861 WANG ACTHPN AND MATERIALS FUR MAhl'NG THE SAME Phillip J. Roehrig, De Kalb, llh, assignor to The Wurlitzer Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of @hro Filed Sept. 14, 1980, Ser. No. 56,654 1 Claim. (Cl. 84-440) This invention relates generally to piano actions and especially to the materials used in piano actions.

In conventional piano actions, that portion of the catcher which contacts the backcheck is faced with buckskin; and this buckskin-faced portion of the catcher is arranged to contact a felt element secured to the backcheck. In use, the buckskin and the felt element rub against each other. Wear and packing of the parts results; and eventually, the action must be adjusted to compensate for this wear and packing.

Similarly, the metal spoon aiiixed to the whip is conventionally arranged to contact a pressed felt element on the damper lever; and in use, the spoon digs into the pressed felt element and abrades it, shortening the life of the pressed felt element and requiring its premature replacement.

Therefore, a general object of the present invention is to provide an improved piano action.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved materials for use in piano actions.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide piano action materials which are characterized by long use lift and high resistance to wear and packing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a piano action having improved contact between the catcher and the backcheck.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a piano action having improved contact between the spoon and the damper lever.

Additional objects and features of the invention pertain to the particular structure, materials and arrangements whereby the above objects are attained.

The invention, both to its structure and mode of operation, will be better understood by reference to the following disclosure and drawing forming a part thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional, side elevational view showing a piano action constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the catcher used in the piano action of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of the damper lever used in the piano action of FIG. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, specifically to FIG. 1, a piano structure is shown to include a front panel it a keybed 12 and a frame "14-. in accordance with conventional practice, a backplate 16 is afilxed to frame 14 for supporting the piano strings such as the piano string 18. Similarly, a balance rail, not shown, is mounted on a plate 20 which is fastened to the keybed 12 in order to support a number of piano keys such as the piano key 22.

Depression of a piano key 22. is arranged to cause striking of the corresponding string 13 through a piano action indicated generally by the numeral 24. The piano action 24 is mounted in the piano structure by means of a number of action brackets 26, each of the brackets 26 being fastened to backplate 16 by means including a tubular, action spacer 28. A main rail 30, a spring rail 32 and a hammer rail 3 extend through the piano structure to be afiixed to each of the action brackets 26 for purposes of supporting the individual action members.

The piano action 24 includes a hammer 36 which is mounted to a butt 38 by hammer shank 4d, the butt 38 3 ,106,861 Patented Oct. 15, 1963 being pivotally mounted to the main rail 36 by a butt flange 42. Depression of a piano key 22 is arranged to actuate hammer 36 by means of a sticker or abstract 44 which is affixed at one end to the piano key 22 by means of a key fork 46 and which is pivotally mounted at the other end to a whip 48. The whip 48 is pivotally mounted to main rail 39 by a whip flange 5%; and a fly orjack 52 is pivotally mounted and spaced apart from whip 48 by a fly flange 54 in accordance with conventional practice. The depression of a piano key 22 causes actuation of the hammer 36 by transmitting force thereto through the fly or jack 5'2 and the butt 38.

A backcheck 56 is mounted to the whip 48 in upstanding relationship by means of a backcheck wire or rod 58; and a catcher do is mounted to the butt 38 by means of a catcher stem or shank 62 which radiates from butt 38. Upon return of the hammer 36 from striking engagement with the string 13, catcher 69 engages the baclccheck 56; and desirably, there is a damped engagement of the parts. Therefore, a backcheck felt 64 is secured to the backcheck 5a in the area to be contacted by catcher 6d; and in accordance with a feature of the present invention, the catcher 69 has a felt 66 attached to its face for engagement with the felt 64. In one specific embodiment of the invention, the backcheck felt 64 has been usefully fashioned from the pressed felt No. 7844 having a density in the range of .200 to .236 ounces per cubic inch and produced by the American Felt Company of Glenville, Connecticut. In this same specific embodiment, catcher felt so has been fashioned from the pressed felt No. 7288Sl having a density in the range of .176 to .214 ounces per cubic inch and produced by the same company. The catcher felt so has been found to be advantageously selected to possess a density slightly less than the density of backcheck felt 64.

Provision of the felt on on catcher (it) for contacting the felt 64 on backcheck 56 has been found to incur a frictional engagement of the respective parts; and contrary to normal expectations, reduced wear and packing of the felts results. It is believed that this is due to the give or resiliency of the felts which permits a floating action or internal movement with minimal slippage.

A metal spoon 63 is affixed to whip 48 in upstanding relationship on the end of the whip opposite its connection with the abstract 44; and upon actuation of whip 43 by means of piano key 22, the spoon as contacts one end of a damper lever 72%, damper lever '70 being mounted to main rail 3% by means of a damper lever flange '72. Spoon as is specifically arranged to operate damper lever 7% so as to retract a damper head 74 from contact with piano string 13 immediately in advance of hammer 36 striking the string.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, spoon as is adapted to contact a woven felt element '76 which is afixed to damper lever 79 confronting the spoon. The felt 75 is specifically selected to be woven felt since that material has been found to incur a particularly responsive action of lever 7d upon contact by spoon 625. Moreover, fabrication of felt element '76 from woven felt material has been found to provide a component which is hi hly resistant to the abrading and digging action of the metal spoon. in one specific embodiment, the damper lever felt has been usefully fashioned from felt No. 1982 produced by Charles W. House & Sons, inc. of Unionville, Connecticut. The woven felt used for element "76 is woolen cloth which has been subjected to the felt-making procedures of felling, rolling and pressing in order to compact it.

The specific examples herein shown and described are illustrative only. Various changes will, no doubt, occur to those skilled in the art; and these changes are to be understood as forming a part of this invention insofar as they fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

The invention is claimed as follows:

In a piano action, the combination comprising a hammer pivotally mounted for striking a piano string, a catcher rigid with said hammer, a backcheck mounted to be contacted by said catcher on return movement of said hammer from striking engagement with the piano string, a backcheck felt on the backcheck in the area to be contaoted by the catcher, and a pressed catcher felt fixed on said catcher for cooperative abutting engagement with 4- said backcheck felt, said backcheck felt having a density greater than said catcher felt and the densities of said backcheck felt and said catcher felt being, respectively, in the ranges of .200 to .236 and .176 to .214 ounces per cubic inch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,558,817 Koehler Oct. 27, 1925 2,470,654 Schultz May 17, 1949 2,835,157 Waters May 20, 1958 

